Along The Rails

We’re used to thinking of Thoroughbreds as powerful speedsters; their claim on the equestrian world is largely based on getting the human on their back from one place to another very, very quickly–even if, as is the case in flat racing, they tend to stop not all that far from where they started.

Since less popular equestrian sports are currently in the spotlight thanks to the Summer Olympics, it’s a good time to applaud the T-breds who take up the synchronized swimming of the equine world.  Although warmbloods (”medium-sized” horses) dominate the sport, some Thoroughbreds are used as dressage horses.

It’s a win-win, as many former racehorses are retrained to the ring, and the new outlet provides a job for those Thoroughbreds who don’t make it to the track.  So the next time your pick comes trotting home well behind the rest of the field, take heart: He might just be a better dancer than a runner.

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